WO2002026648A1 - Multi-component all glass photonic band-gap fiber - Google Patents

Multi-component all glass photonic band-gap fiber Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2002026648A1
WO2002026648A1 PCT/US2001/028379 US0128379W WO0226648A1 WO 2002026648 A1 WO2002026648 A1 WO 2002026648A1 US 0128379 W US0128379 W US 0128379W WO 0226648 A1 WO0226648 A1 WO 0226648A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
refractive index
preform
glass rods
index glass
fiber
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/US2001/028379
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Colm V. Cryan
Karim Tatah
Richard Strack
Original Assignee
Schott Communications Technologies, Inc.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Schott Communications Technologies, Inc. filed Critical Schott Communications Technologies, Inc.
Priority to AU2001290764A priority Critical patent/AU2001290764A1/en
Publication of WO2002026648A1 publication Critical patent/WO2002026648A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/02—Optical fibres with cladding with or without a coating
    • G02B6/02295—Microstructured optical fibre
    • G02B6/02314—Plurality of longitudinal structures extending along optical fibre axis, e.g. holes
    • G02B6/02342—Plurality of longitudinal structures extending along optical fibre axis, e.g. holes characterised by cladding features, i.e. light confining region
    • G02B6/02357—Property of longitudinal structures or background material varies radially and/or azimuthally in the cladding, e.g. size, spacing, periodicity, shape, refractive index, graded index, quasiperiodic, quasicrystals
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
    • C03B—MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
    • C03B37/00—Manufacture or treatment of flakes, fibres, or filaments from softened glass, minerals, or slags
    • C03B37/01—Manufacture of glass fibres or filaments
    • C03B37/012—Manufacture of preforms for drawing fibres or filaments
    • C03B37/01205—Manufacture of preforms for drawing fibres or filaments starting from tubes, rods, fibres or filaments
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
    • C03B—MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
    • C03B37/00—Manufacture or treatment of flakes, fibres, or filaments from softened glass, minerals, or slags
    • C03B37/01—Manufacture of glass fibres or filaments
    • C03B37/012—Manufacture of preforms for drawing fibres or filaments
    • C03B37/01205—Manufacture of preforms for drawing fibres or filaments starting from tubes, rods, fibres or filaments
    • C03B37/01225—Means for changing or stabilising the shape, e.g. diameter, of tubes or rods in general, e.g. collapsing
    • C03B37/0124—Means for reducing the diameter of rods or tubes by drawing, e.g. for preform draw-down
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/02—Optical fibres with cladding with or without a coating
    • G02B6/02295—Microstructured optical fibre
    • G02B6/02314—Plurality of longitudinal structures extending along optical fibre axis, e.g. holes
    • G02B6/02342—Plurality of longitudinal structures extending along optical fibre axis, e.g. holes characterised by cladding features, i.e. light confining region
    • G02B6/02361—Longitudinal structures forming multiple layers around the core, e.g. arranged in multiple rings with each ring having longitudinal elements at substantially the same radial distance from the core, having rotational symmetry about the fibre axis
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G02—OPTICS
    • G02B—OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS
    • G02B6/00—Light guides; Structural details of arrangements comprising light guides and other optical elements, e.g. couplings
    • G02B6/02—Optical fibres with cladding with or without a coating
    • G02B6/02295—Microstructured optical fibre
    • G02B6/02314—Plurality of longitudinal structures extending along optical fibre axis, e.g. holes
    • G02B6/02342—Plurality of longitudinal structures extending along optical fibre axis, e.g. holes characterised by cladding features, i.e. light confining region
    • G02B6/0238—Longitudinal structures having higher refractive index than background material, e.g. high index solid rods
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C03—GLASS; MINERAL OR SLAG WOOL
    • C03B—MANUFACTURE, SHAPING, OR SUPPLEMENTARY PROCESSES
    • C03B2203/00—Fibre product details, e.g. structure, shape
    • C03B2203/42—Photonic crystal fibres, e.g. fibres using the photonic bandgap PBG effect, microstructured or holey optical fibres

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a photonic crystal fiber, and more particularly, to a novel method of fabricating a photonic crystal fiber, having a non-porous, all glass structure.
  • PBG fibers A new type of optical fiber has recently been proposed which is referred to as a "photonic crystal” or “photonic band gap” (PBG) fiber.
  • the PBG fibers involve a structure having a refractive index that varies periodically in space (in the X-Y plane). This type of optical fiber is discussed in several articles including J.C. Knight et al., Optics Letters, Vol. 21, No. 19, P. 15-47 (October 1996); T.A. Burkes, et al., Optics Letters, Vol. 22, No. 13, P. 961 (July 1997).
  • These PBG fibers are typically fabricated with silica fiber having air gaps in order to achieve a periodic structure in the array which has a large index difference.
  • the air gaps are typically created by a multiple stack and draw process in which the air gaps are formed by holes drilled in silica rod preforms which are then stacked and drawn in order to create the PBG fiber structure.
  • a PBG fiber is also known in which that it was discovered that there was no need for a periodicty in the X-Y plane (cross-section) of the fiber. It was found that if the fiber possesses a core region having a refractive index that is significantly higher than the effective index of a fraction of a cladding region that surrounds the core region which comprises the multiplicity of micro structural cladding features such as capillary voids, that a periodic array was not necessarily required.
  • capillary voids are still utilized as the primary means of forming the cladding material. However, the voids may be filled with metal or glass with a lower melting temperature than the capillary tube material in a subsequent operation with a second melt at a lower temperature. This introduces additional manufacturing time and costs, and also raises additional quality control issues.
  • the present invention provides a method of producing an all glass, non-porous, multi-component photonic band-gap fiber which includes the steps of creating a preform having a plurality of low refractive index glass rods and a plurality of high refractive index glass rods arranged in a pre-determined pattern between the low refractive index glass rods.
  • the preform is heated and drawn to form a non-porous photonic band-gap fiber.
  • the invention provides for the assembly of the preform from a plurality of preform subassemblies which each have a predetermined number of low refractive index and high refractive index glass rods arranged in a predetermined pattern.
  • a method producing an all glass, non-porous, multi-component photonic band-gap multiple array includes creating a first PBG fiber by assembling a first preform having a plurality of low refractive index glass rods and a plurality of high refractive index glass rods which are arranged in a predetermined pattern between the low refractive index glass rods.
  • the first preform is heated and drawn to form a first drawn non-porous subassembly having a first index.
  • a second PBG fiber is created by assembling a second preform having a plurality of low refractive index glass rods and a plurality of medium refractive index glass rods which are arranged in a predetermined pattern between the low index glass rods.
  • the second preform is heated and drawn to form a second drawn non-porous subassembly having a second index.
  • a third preform is assembled from the first and second drawn non-porous subassemblies The third preform is heated and drawn to form a non-porous multi-component PBG multiple index array.
  • Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a PBG fiber in accordance with the present invention.
  • Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a PBG fiber in accordance with the present invention.
  • Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a third preferred embodiment of a PBG fiber in accordance with the present invention.
  • Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a PBG array in accordance with the present invention.
  • Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a PBG preform subassembly in accordance with the present invention.
  • Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a fourth embodiment of a PBG fiber formed from the assembly of the PBG subassembly shown in Figure 5;
  • Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a PBG array having multiple indexes in accordance with the present invention.
  • Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a sixth embodiment of a PBG fiber formed from multiple index materials
  • Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of a PBG fiber having a Gain Medium located in the fiber.
  • Figure 10 is a schematic view of an optical fiber communication system comprising a PBG fiber in accordance with the present invention.
  • a photonic band-gap (“PBG") fiber 10 is shown in cross-section in the X-Y plane. This plane is normal to the longitudinal (Z) direction of the fiber, which can extend a substantial distance for transmission of an optic signal.
  • the first embodiment of the PBG fiber 10 is formed from a first plurality of low refractive index glass rods 12 and a plurality of high refractive index glass rods 14 arranged in a predetermined pattern between the low refractive index glass rods 12. The specific arrangement of the high index and low index glass rods 14, 12 in the preform will determine the specific band-gaps in the light that can be transmitted through the fiber 10.
  • the preform is then heated and drawn in the manner well known to those skilled in the art to form a non-porous photonic band-gap fiber 10 having a diameter of approximately 125 microns.
  • the individual glass rods in the PBG fiber 10 are drawn down to a size of approximately 0.25 microns.
  • the low refractive index glass rods have an index on the order of 1.47 and the high refractive index glass rods have an index over 1.81.
  • different low and high refractive indices can be used depending upon the specific properties required.
  • the rods are fused together to form a solid, non-porous structure in cross-section which allows the finished PBG fiber 10 to be vacuum tight.
  • the solid PBG fiber offers better mechanical structure and stability than the prior known PBG fibers which utilize capillary air gaps as defects in order to form the PBG fibers.
  • first preferred embodiment of the fiber 1 is shown as being hexagonal in cross-section, other cross-sectional shapes, such as squares, circles or other forms can be utilized if desired. Additionally different arrangements of the low and high index glass rods 12, 14 can be utilized.
  • a second preferred embodiment of a PBG fiber 20 is shown.
  • a periodic structure is achieved in the array by arranging the low index and high index glass rods 12 and 14 in concentric rings in the preform.
  • a low refractive index glass rod 12 is located in the center of the preform.
  • the preform is heated and drawn in order to form the PBG fiber 20.
  • a third preferred embodiment of a PBG fiber 30 is shown.
  • the low refractive index glass rods 12 are dispersed in a pattern such that each low refractive glass rod 12 is surrounded by six high index glass rods 14.
  • the PBG array 40 is formed by assembling a first stage preform subassembly having a predetermined number of the low refractive index glass rods 12 and the high refractive index glass rods 14 arranged in a predetermined pattern, such as the pattern shown in Figure 1 for the PBG fiber 10.
  • the glass rods in the first stage preform subassembly are heated and drawn to form drawn first-stage subassemblies.
  • a second preform is created from a plurality of the drawn first stage subassemblies.
  • This second preform is then heated and drawn to a desired size and can be used to make a face plate array of a larger size, such as 3 inch diameter plates, or can be drawn down to a smaller size, such as 125 microns in order to form a PBG fiber.
  • smaller preform subassembly 50 can be created from the low index glass rods 12 and high index glass rods 14.
  • the smaller preform subassemblies 50 are drawn to form drawn preform assemblies which can then be utilized to create a preform for a PBG fiber 51 in accordance with a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention. Again, during the drawing process, all air is removed from the fiber to form a solid glass PBG fiber.
  • FIG. 7 a portion of a PBG array 16 in accordance with a sixth preferred embodiment of the invention is shown.
  • the PBG array is assembled utilizing drawn preforms similar to that discussed above in connection with Figure 1.
  • a first photonic band-gap optical fiber preform is assembled having a plurality of low refractive index glass rods 12 and a plurality of high refractive index glass rods 14 arranged in a pre-determined pattern between the low refractive index glass rods 12.
  • the preform is heated and drawn to form a first drawn non-porous subassembly having a first index.
  • a second photonic band-gap optical fiber 11 is assembled as a second preform having a plurality of low refractive index glass rods 12 and a plurality of medium refractive index glass rods 16 arranged in a predetermined pattern, which is shown as being the same as the pattern utilized to create the first PBG fiber 10.
  • the second preform is heated and drawn to form the second drawn non-porous subassembly 11 having a second index.
  • a third preform is assembled from a plurality of the first and second drawn non-porous subassemblies 10 and 11. The third preform is then heated and drawn to form a non- porous multi-photonic band-gap multiple index array 60.
  • the number of subassemblies 10 and 11 utilized in the array can be varied depending upon the particular application. Additionally, the shape of the first and second drawn non-porous subassemblies can be varied depending upon the particular application.
  • the medium refractive index glass rods 16 have an index of 1.6. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that other different indices can be utilized depending upon the effect desired.
  • the PBG fiber 70 is assembled from low, medium and high refractive index glass rods 12, 14 and 16 which are assembled in a preform in a desired pattern.
  • the preform is heated and drawn in order to form the PBG fiber 70. This has the advantage of allowing for control of fiber dispersion properties.
  • the PBG fiber 80 is comprised of a plurality of low index and high index glass rods 12 and 14 which are arranged in a preform.
  • a gain medium 18, which preferably comprises doped glass rods, is located in the center of the preform. The preform is heated and drawn in order to form the eighth preferred embodiment of the PBG fiber 80.
  • a gain medium in this arrangement has particular advantage for use in forming an amplifier or a laser if appropriate reflective and coupling coatings are provided on the ends of a segment of the PBG fiber 80 thus formed, in order to intensify light energy which enters the gain medium, or provide lasing.
  • PBG fiber and/or arrays are intended to be examplary only, and different glass layouts and fibers counts can be employed. All of the embodiments of the PBG fiber offer lower cost manufacture and improved mechanical structural stability in comparison to the known prior art PBG fibers which utilize capillary air openings as the defect in the fibers. This allows tight bend angles which were not possible with the prior known PBG fibers, and forming the present PBG fiber as a solid, vacuum tight material, allows for use in different applications.
  • a particularly advantageous application is for use in fiber optic communication systems, where the PBG fiber is located between a light signal transmitter 92 and a light signal receiver 94, as shown in Figure 10.
  • PBG drawn fiber provides a useful means for locating defects in the final product. It has been observed experimentally that light inserted in the PBG can not propogate in the ordered regions (as expected), but can find the defects, such as missing or misplaced fibers, and be guided therein. This allows the defects in an array of drawn fibers to be measured.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Optics & Photonics (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Optical Fibers, Optical Fiber Cores, And Optical Fiber Bundles (AREA)
  • Manufacture, Treatment Of Glass Fibers (AREA)

Abstract

Low refractive index glass rods (12) and high refractive index glass rods (14) are assembled in a pattern to create a preform (10). This preform is then heated and drawn to form the non-porous photonic band-gap fiber.

Description

MULTI-COMPONENT ALL GLASS PHOTONIC BAND-GAP FIBER
BACKGROUND
The present invention relates to a photonic crystal fiber, and more particularly, to a novel method of fabricating a photonic crystal fiber, having a non-porous, all glass structure.
Communication systems which utilize optical fibers are known. These fibers typically achieve guiding of light by means of total internal reflection, based on the presence of a solid core of a relatively high refractive index that is surrounded by a solid cladding that has a relatively low refractive index.
A new type of optical fiber has recently been proposed which is referred to as a "photonic crystal" or "photonic band gap" (PBG) fiber. The PBG fibers involve a structure having a refractive index that varies periodically in space (in the X-Y plane). This type of optical fiber is discussed in several articles including J.C. Knight et al., Optics Letters, Vol. 21, No. 19, P. 15-47 (October 1996); T.A. Burkes, et al., Optics Letters, Vol. 22, No. 13, P. 961 (July 1997). These PBG fibers are typically fabricated with silica fiber having air gaps in order to achieve a periodic structure in the array which has a large index difference. This is achieved by the air gaps in combination with the silica fiber creating a lower refractive index in comparison to the areas having silica fiber alone. The air gaps are typically created by a multiple stack and draw process in which the air gaps are formed by holes drilled in silica rod preforms which are then stacked and drawn in order to create the PBG fiber structure.
A PBG fiber is also known in which that it was discovered that there was no need for a periodicty in the X-Y plane (cross-section) of the fiber. It was found that if the fiber possesses a core region having a refractive index that is significantly higher than the effective index of a fraction of a cladding region that surrounds the core region which comprises the multiplicity of micro structural cladding features such as capillary voids, that a periodic array was not necessarily required. However, capillary voids are still utilized as the primary means of forming the cladding material. However, the voids may be filled with metal or glass with a lower melting temperature than the capillary tube material in a subsequent operation with a second melt at a lower temperature. This introduces additional manufacturing time and costs, and also raises additional quality control issues.
The prior art process of making PBG fibers is difficult and costly, and it would be desirable to have simpler, less costly methods for making PBG fibers. Furthermore, these porous fibers are problematic for use in systems where it is necessary to have a solid or vacuum tight connection. It is also difficult to achieve a small bend radius with porous PBG fibers without damaging the fibers.
SUMMARY
Briefly stated, the present invention provides a method of producing an all glass, non-porous, multi-component photonic band-gap fiber which includes the steps of creating a preform having a plurality of low refractive index glass rods and a plurality of high refractive index glass rods arranged in a pre-determined pattern between the low refractive index glass rods. The preform is heated and drawn to form a non-porous photonic band-gap fiber.
In another aspect, the invention provides for the assembly of the preform from a plurality of preform subassemblies which each have a predetermined number of low refractive index and high refractive index glass rods arranged in a predetermined pattern.
In another aspect, a method producing an all glass, non-porous, multi-component photonic band-gap multiple array is provided. The method includes creating a first PBG fiber by assembling a first preform having a plurality of low refractive index glass rods and a plurality of high refractive index glass rods which are arranged in a predetermined pattern between the low refractive index glass rods. The first preform is heated and drawn to form a first drawn non-porous subassembly having a first index. A second PBG fiber is created by assembling a second preform having a plurality of low refractive index glass rods and a plurality of medium refractive index glass rods which are arranged in a predetermined pattern between the low index glass rods. The second preform is heated and drawn to form a second drawn non-porous subassembly having a second index. A third preform is assembled from the first and second drawn non-porous subassemblies The third preform is heated and drawn to form a non-porous multi-component PBG multiple index array.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a cross-sectional view of a PBG fiber in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of a PBG fiber in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a third preferred embodiment of a PBG fiber in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a PBG array in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of a PBG preform subassembly in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view of a fourth embodiment of a PBG fiber formed from the assembly of the PBG subassembly shown in Figure 5;
Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a PBG array having multiple indexes in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view of a sixth embodiment of a PBG fiber formed from multiple index materials;
Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of a PBG fiber having a Gain Medium located in the fiber; and
Figure 10 is a schematic view of an optical fiber communication system comprising a PBG fiber in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to Figure 1, a photonic band-gap ("PBG") fiber 10 is shown in cross-section in the X-Y plane. This plane is normal to the longitudinal (Z) direction of the fiber, which can extend a substantial distance for transmission of an optic signal. The first embodiment of the PBG fiber 10 is formed from a first plurality of low refractive index glass rods 12 and a plurality of high refractive index glass rods 14 arranged in a predetermined pattern between the low refractive index glass rods 12. The specific arrangement of the high index and low index glass rods 14, 12 in the preform will determine the specific band-gaps in the light that can be transmitted through the fiber 10. The preform is then heated and drawn in the manner well known to those skilled in the art to form a non-porous photonic band-gap fiber 10 having a diameter of approximately 125 microns. During the drawing process, the individual glass rods in the PBG fiber 10 are drawn down to a size of approximately 0.25 microns. Preferably, the low refractive index glass rods have an index on the order of 1.47 and the high refractive index glass rods have an index over 1.81. However, different low and high refractive indices can be used depending upon the specific properties required. During the drawing process, the rods are fused together to form a solid, non-porous structure in cross-section which allows the finished PBG fiber 10 to be vacuum tight. The solid PBG fiber offers better mechanical structure and stability than the prior known PBG fibers which utilize capillary air gaps as defects in order to form the PBG fibers.
While the first preferred embodiment of the fiber 1 is shown as being hexagonal in cross-section, other cross-sectional shapes, such as squares, circles or other forms can be utilized if desired. Additionally different arrangements of the low and high index glass rods 12, 14 can be utilized.
Referring now to Figure 2, a second preferred embodiment of a PBG fiber 20 is shown. In the second preferred embodiment, a periodic structure is achieved in the array by arranging the low index and high index glass rods 12 and 14 in concentric rings in the preform. In the second preferred embodiment, a low refractive index glass rod 12 is located in the center of the preform. The preform is heated and drawn in order to form the PBG fiber 20. Referring now to Figure 3, a third preferred embodiment of a PBG fiber 30 is shown. In this case, the low refractive index glass rods 12 are dispersed in a pattern such that each low refractive glass rod 12 is surrounded by six high index glass rods 14.
Referring now to Figure 4, a PBG array in accordance with a fourth preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The PBG array 40 is formed by assembling a first stage preform subassembly having a predetermined number of the low refractive index glass rods 12 and the high refractive index glass rods 14 arranged in a predetermined pattern, such as the pattern shown in Figure 1 for the PBG fiber 10. The glass rods in the first stage preform subassembly are heated and drawn to form drawn first-stage subassemblies. A second preform is created from a plurality of the drawn first stage subassemblies. This second preform is then heated and drawn to a desired size and can be used to make a face plate array of a larger size, such as 3 inch diameter plates, or can be drawn down to a smaller size, such as 125 microns in order to form a PBG fiber.
Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, smaller preform subassembly 50 can be created from the low index glass rods 12 and high index glass rods 14. The smaller preform subassemblies 50 are drawn to form drawn preform assemblies which can then be utilized to create a preform for a PBG fiber 51 in accordance with a fifth preferred embodiment of the present invention. Again, during the drawing process, all air is removed from the fiber to form a solid glass PBG fiber.
Referring now to Figure 7, a portion of a PBG array 16 in accordance with a sixth preferred embodiment of the invention is shown. The PBG array is assembled utilizing drawn preforms similar to that discussed above in connection with Figure 1. A first photonic band-gap optical fiber preform is assembled having a plurality of low refractive index glass rods 12 and a plurality of high refractive index glass rods 14 arranged in a pre-determined pattern between the low refractive index glass rods 12. The preform is heated and drawn to form a first drawn non-porous subassembly having a first index. A second photonic band-gap optical fiber 11 is assembled as a second preform having a plurality of low refractive index glass rods 12 and a plurality of medium refractive index glass rods 16 arranged in a predetermined pattern, which is shown as being the same as the pattern utilized to create the first PBG fiber 10. The second preform is heated and drawn to form the second drawn non-porous subassembly 11 having a second index. A third preform is assembled from a plurality of the first and second drawn non-porous subassemblies 10 and 11. The third preform is then heated and drawn to form a non- porous multi-photonic band-gap multiple index array 60. The number of subassemblies 10 and 11 utilized in the array can be varied depending upon the particular application. Additionally, the shape of the first and second drawn non-porous subassemblies can be varied depending upon the particular application. Preferably, the medium refractive index glass rods 16 have an index of 1.6. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that other different indices can be utilized depending upon the effect desired.
Referring now Figure 8, a seventh preferred embodiment of a PBG fiber 70 is shown. The PBG fiber 70 is assembled from low, medium and high refractive index glass rods 12, 14 and 16 which are assembled in a preform in a desired pattern. The preform is heated and drawn in order to form the PBG fiber 70. This has the advantage of allowing for control of fiber dispersion properties.
Referring now to Figure 9, and eighth preferred embodiment of a PBG fiber 80 is shown. The PBG fiber 80 is comprised of a plurality of low index and high index glass rods 12 and 14 which are arranged in a preform. A gain medium 18, which preferably comprises doped glass rods, is located in the center of the preform. The preform is heated and drawn in order to form the eighth preferred embodiment of the PBG fiber 80.
The use of a gain medium in this arrangement has particular advantage for use in forming an amplifier or a laser if appropriate reflective and coupling coatings are provided on the ends of a segment of the PBG fiber 80 thus formed, in order to intensify light energy which enters the gain medium, or provide lasing.
The above-noted embodiments of the PBG fiber and/or arrays are intended to be examplary only, and different glass layouts and fibers counts can be employed. All of the embodiments of the PBG fiber offer lower cost manufacture and improved mechanical structural stability in comparison to the known prior art PBG fibers which utilize capillary air openings as the defect in the fibers. This allows tight bend angles which were not possible with the prior known PBG fibers, and forming the present PBG fiber as a solid, vacuum tight material, allows for use in different applications. A particularly advantageous application is for use in fiber optic communication systems, where the PBG fiber is located between a light signal transmitter 92 and a light signal receiver 94, as shown in Figure 10.
Another useful property provided by the PBG drawn fiber is that it provides a useful means for locating defects in the final product. It has been observed experimentally that light inserted in the PBG can not propogate in the ordered regions (as expected), but can find the defects, such as missing or misplaced fibers, and be guided therein. This allows the defects in an array of drawn fibers to be measured.
While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been described in detail, the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described above, which should be considered as merely exemplary. Further modifications and extensions of the present invention may be developed, and all such modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS What is claimed is:
1. A method of producing an all glass, non-porous, multi-component photonic band-gap fiber comprising: creating a preform having a plurality of low refractive index glass rods and a plurality of high refractive index optical glass rods arranged in a predetermined pattei'n between the low refractive index glass rods; heating and drawing the preform to form a non-porous photonic band-gap fiber.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising: arranging the low-refractive index glass rods and the high refractive index glass rods in concentric rings in the preform, with a low refractive index glass rods being located in the center of the preform.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising: assembling a first stage preform subassembly having a predetermined number of the low refractive index glass rods and the high refractive index glass rods arranged in a predetermined pattern; heating and drawing the first stage subassembly preform to form drawn first stage subassemblies; and creating the preform from a plurality of the drawn first stage subassemblies .
4. The method of claim 1 further comprising: assembling a plurality of the non-porous photonic band-gap fibers together to form a photonic band-gap array.
5. The method of claim 1 further comprising: adding a third plurality of medium refractive index glass rods to the preform in a predetermined pattern between the first plurality of low refractive index glass rods and the second plurality of high refractive index glass rods.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising: adding a gain medium to the preform in a predetermined pattern between the first plurality of low refractive index glass rods and the second plurality of high refractive index glass rods.
7. A method of producing an all glass, non-porous, multi-component photonic band-gap multiple index array comprising: creating a first photonic band-gap optical fiber by assembling a first preform having a plurality of low refractive index glass rods and a plurality of high refractive index glass rods arranged in a predetermined pattern between the low refractive index glass rods, and heating and drawing the first preform to form a first drawn non- porous subassembly having a first index; creating a second photonic band-gap optical fiber by assembling a second preform having a plurality of low refractive index glass rods and a plurality of medium refractive index glass rods arranged in a predetermined pattern between the low refractive index glass rods, and heating and drawing the second preform to form a second drawn non-porous subassembly having a second index; and assembling a third preform from the first and second drawn non-porous subassemblies, and heating and drawing the third preform to form a non-porous, multi- component photonic band-gap multiple index array.
PCT/US2001/028379 2000-09-11 2001-09-11 Multi-component all glass photonic band-gap fiber WO2002026648A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2001290764A AU2001290764A1 (en) 2000-09-11 2001-09-11 Multi-component all glass photonic band-gap fiber

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US09/659,199 2000-09-11
US09/659,199 US6598428B1 (en) 2000-09-11 2000-09-11 Multi-component all glass photonic band-gap fiber

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2002026648A1 true WO2002026648A1 (en) 2002-04-04

Family

ID=24644460

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/US2001/028379 WO2002026648A1 (en) 2000-09-11 2001-09-11 Multi-component all glass photonic band-gap fiber

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US6598428B1 (en)
AU (1) AU2001290764A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2002026648A1 (en)

Cited By (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2004070444A1 (en) * 2003-01-31 2004-08-19 Corning Incorporated Multiple core microstructured optical fibers and methods using said fibers
US7349611B2 (en) 2001-06-08 2008-03-25 Crystal Fibre A/S Photonic bandgap fibre, and use thereof
WO2009107824A1 (en) * 2008-02-29 2009-09-03 Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. All solid photonic bandgap fiber
EP2320256A1 (en) * 2009-10-27 2011-05-11 Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. Optical fiber manufacturing method
US8041170B2 (en) 2008-02-29 2011-10-18 Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. Photonic bandgap fiber
US8045259B2 (en) 2005-11-18 2011-10-25 Nkt Photonics A/S Active optical fibers with wavelength-selective filtering mechanism, method of production and their use
CN109324358A (en) * 2018-12-18 2019-02-12 中南民族大学 A kind of design method of low-refraction than lower big complete photonic band gap photonic crystal

Families Citing this family (20)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB9907655D0 (en) * 1999-04-01 1999-05-26 Secr Defence A photonic crystal fibre and a method for its production
US6711918B1 (en) * 2001-02-06 2004-03-30 Sandia National Laboratories Method of bundling rods so as to form an optical fiber preform
US20030056546A1 (en) * 2001-09-18 2003-03-27 Claus Richard O. Photonic crystal materials and devices
US20060120677A1 (en) * 2002-05-23 2006-06-08 Jes Broeng Optical waveguide, method of its production, and its use
US8285015B2 (en) * 2002-07-05 2012-10-09 Lawrence Livermore Natioonal Security, LLC Simultaneous acquisition of differing image types
US6917741B2 (en) * 2002-11-18 2005-07-12 Corning Incorporated Methods for manufacturing microstructured optical fibers with arbitrary core size
KR100547799B1 (en) * 2003-05-29 2006-01-31 삼성전자주식회사 Matrix for photonic crystal fiber and photonic crystal fiber using same
WO2006119334A2 (en) * 2005-05-03 2006-11-09 The Arizona Board Of Regents On Behalf Of The University Of Arizona Microstructured optical fibers and manufacturing methods thereof
JP2007264331A (en) * 2006-03-29 2007-10-11 Fujikura Ltd Extended triangular grid photonic bandgap fiber
GB0614272D0 (en) * 2006-07-18 2006-08-30 Univ Heriot Watt Fabrication of nanostructured materials
US20080170830A1 (en) * 2007-01-16 2008-07-17 Fujikura Ltd Photonic band gap fiber and method of producing the same
WO2008106037A2 (en) * 2007-02-28 2008-09-04 Corning Incorporated Photonic crystal fibers and methods for manufacturing the same
US7861558B2 (en) * 2007-10-17 2011-01-04 Taiwan Fiber Optics, Inc. Method of making assemblies of multi-fiber with irregular hexagonal array
US8461546B2 (en) 2009-04-03 2013-06-11 Lawrence Livermore National Security, Llc Compounds for neutron radiation detectors and systems thereof
JP2011039497A (en) * 2009-07-17 2011-02-24 Sumitomo Electric Ind Ltd Photonic crystal fiber
US9309456B2 (en) 2011-04-15 2016-04-12 Lawrence Livermore National Security, Llc Plastic scintillator with effective pulse shape discrimination for neutron and gamma detection
US9121947B2 (en) 2012-01-23 2015-09-01 Lawrence Livermore National Security, Llc Stress reduction for pillar filled structures
US9650564B2 (en) 2012-05-14 2017-05-16 Lawrence Livermore National Security, Llc System and plastic scintillator for discrimination of thermal neutron, fast neutron, and gamma radiation
US9274237B2 (en) 2013-07-26 2016-03-01 Lawrence Livermore National Security, Llc Lithium-containing scintillators for thermal neutron, fast neutron, and gamma detection
CN111635126A (en) * 2020-04-21 2020-09-08 艾菲博(宁波)光电科技有限责任公司 Preparation process and preparation device of multi-core single-mode/multi-core few-mode communication optical fiber

Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6301420B1 (en) * 1998-05-01 2001-10-09 The Secretary Of State For Defence In Her Britannic Majesty's Government Of The United Kingdom Of Great Britain And Northern Ireland Multicore optical fibre

Family Cites Families (27)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3253896A (en) * 1960-02-02 1966-05-31 American Optical Corp Method of making glass clad energyconducting fibers
GB1003861A (en) * 1961-10-19 1965-09-08 American Optical Corp Improvements in optical or electrical energy-conducting components formed of fiber elments and method of making same
US4127398A (en) * 1963-09-18 1978-11-28 Ni-Tec, Inc. Multiple-channel tubular devices
US3504060A (en) * 1969-03-10 1970-03-31 Bendix Corp Method of strengthening flexible fiber bundles
US4011007A (en) * 1971-06-28 1977-03-08 American Optical Corporation Optical fiber bundle image conduit
US4389089A (en) * 1980-07-14 1983-06-21 Warner Lambert Technologies, Inc. Flexible fiber optical conduit and method of making
FR2487811B1 (en) * 1980-07-31 1985-07-26 France Etat PROCESS AND PLANT FOR CONTINUOUSLY MANUFACTURING OPTICAL FIBERS
JPS5848014A (en) * 1981-09-16 1983-03-19 Showa Electric Wire & Cable Co Ltd Manufacture of optical distributor
US4710216A (en) * 1982-04-19 1987-12-01 Fuji Photo Optical Co., Ltd. Method of making flexible optical fiber bundle
GB8504535D0 (en) * 1985-02-21 1985-03-27 Barr & Stroud Ltd Flexible optical fibre bundles
US4912314A (en) * 1985-09-30 1990-03-27 Itt Corporation Channel type electron multiplier with support rod structure
NL8601317A (en) 1986-05-23 1987-12-16 Philips Nv FIBER PLATES WITH CODING FIBERS.
EP0372450B1 (en) * 1988-12-09 1994-01-12 Alcatel N.V. Process for working up a preform for a polarization-maintaining optical fibre
US5223013A (en) * 1989-06-26 1993-06-29 Galileo Electro-Optics Corp. Method for making multifiber assembly from primitive tiles
US5609952A (en) 1990-01-25 1997-03-11 Arthur Michael Solender Sensored composite structure
US5636299A (en) 1994-12-28 1997-06-03 Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc. Hybrid luminescent device and method for imaging penetrating radiation
US5696039A (en) 1995-07-04 1997-12-09 Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. Glass and fiber optic plate using the same
US5953477A (en) 1995-11-20 1999-09-14 Visionex, Inc. Method and apparatus for improved fiber optic light management
US5802236A (en) * 1997-02-14 1998-09-01 Lucent Technologies Inc. Article comprising a micro-structured optical fiber, and method of making such fiber
US5958584A (en) 1996-07-22 1999-09-28 Dsm Nv Radiation-curable, optical glass fiber coating composition and optical glass fiber drawing method
US5940565A (en) 1996-07-24 1999-08-17 Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. Fiber optic device, light receiving member, and pattern acquisition apparatus
US5754715A (en) 1996-11-12 1998-05-19 Melling; Peter J. Mid-infrared fiber-optic spectroscopic probe
US5974211A (en) 1997-02-07 1999-10-26 Kaiser Optical Systems Enhanced collection efficiency fiber-optic probe
WO2000006506A1 (en) * 1998-07-30 2000-02-10 Corning Incorporated Method of fabricating photonic structures
US6243522B1 (en) * 1998-12-21 2001-06-05 Corning Incorporated Photonic crystal fiber
WO2000049436A1 (en) * 1999-02-19 2000-08-24 Blazephotonics Limited Improvements in or relating to photonic crystal fibres
GB9929344D0 (en) * 1999-12-10 2000-02-02 Univ Bath Improvements in or relating to photonic crystal fibres

Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6301420B1 (en) * 1998-05-01 2001-10-09 The Secretary Of State For Defence In Her Britannic Majesty's Government Of The United Kingdom Of Great Britain And Northern Ireland Multicore optical fibre

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7349611B2 (en) 2001-06-08 2008-03-25 Crystal Fibre A/S Photonic bandgap fibre, and use thereof
WO2004070444A1 (en) * 2003-01-31 2004-08-19 Corning Incorporated Multiple core microstructured optical fibers and methods using said fibers
US7082242B2 (en) 2003-01-31 2006-07-25 Corning Incorporated Multiple core microstructured optical fibers and methods using said fibers
US8045259B2 (en) 2005-11-18 2011-10-25 Nkt Photonics A/S Active optical fibers with wavelength-selective filtering mechanism, method of production and their use
WO2009107824A1 (en) * 2008-02-29 2009-09-03 Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. All solid photonic bandgap fiber
US8041170B2 (en) 2008-02-29 2011-10-18 Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. Photonic bandgap fiber
US8503846B2 (en) 2008-02-29 2013-08-06 Sumitomo Electric Industries, Ltd. All solid photonic bandgap fiber
EP2320256A1 (en) * 2009-10-27 2011-05-11 Furukawa Electric Co., Ltd. Optical fiber manufacturing method
CN109324358A (en) * 2018-12-18 2019-02-12 中南民族大学 A kind of design method of low-refraction than lower big complete photonic band gap photonic crystal

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
AU2001290764A1 (en) 2002-04-08
US6598428B1 (en) 2003-07-29

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US6598428B1 (en) Multi-component all glass photonic band-gap fiber
JP4465527B2 (en) Microstructured optical fiber, preform, and manufacturing method of microstructured optical fiber
US6968107B2 (en) Holey optical fibres
US8433167B2 (en) Fused array preform fabrication of holey optical fibers
US6078716A (en) Thermally expanded multiple core fiber
US6522820B2 (en) Method of fabricating microstructured optical fibers
US8215129B2 (en) Method of drawing microstructured glass optical fibers from a preform, and a preform combined with a connector
KR100833820B1 (en) Optical fiber coupling component
US7295740B2 (en) High air fraction photonic band gap fibers
KR100617713B1 (en) Method for fabricating holey fiber
US20100104869A1 (en) Photonic Crystal Fibers and Methods for Manufacturing the Same
EP1861737A1 (en) Multiple core microstructured optical fibre
WO2002101429A2 (en) Photonic bandgap fibre, and use thereof
EP1745316A1 (en) Microstructured optical fibre
JP2005513522A (en) Annular structure inside optical fiber
CN108957623B (en) Pure silicon dioxide air hole photonic crystal fiber capable of supporting 18 OAM mode transmission
WO2003009026A1 (en) Constructing preforms from capillaries and canes
KR100963812B1 (en) Microstructured optical fiber and method of making
CN111443419A (en) Large-mode-field bending-resistant multi-core few-mode optical fiber
US20050041944A1 (en) Graded index fiber array and method of manufacture
JP2004020836A (en) Optical fiber and its manufacturing method
CN1429348A (en) Optical fiber
US20050220432A1 (en) Photonic crystal fiber capable of single-mode transmission and preform thereof
EP1309890B1 (en) Holey optical fibres, preforms and manufacturing methods
JPH0210093B2 (en)

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AK Designated states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AE AG AL AM AT AU AZ BA BB BG BR BY BZ CA CH CN CO CR CU CZ DE DK DM DZ EC EE ES FI GB GD GE GH GM HR HU ID IL IN IS JP KE KG KP KR KZ LC LK LR LS LT LU LV MA MD MG MK MN MW MX MZ NO NZ PH PL PT RO RU SD SE SG SI SK SL TJ TM TR TT TZ UA UG UZ VN YU ZA ZW

AL Designated countries for regional patents

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): GH GM KE LS MW MZ SD SL SZ TZ UG ZW AM AZ BY KG KZ MD RU TJ TM AT BE CH CY DE DK ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LU MC NL PT SE TR BF BJ CF CG CI CM GA GN GQ GW ML MR NE SN TD TG

121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application
WWE Wipo information: entry into national phase

Ref document number: 2002530436

Country of ref document: JP

REG Reference to national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: 8642

122 Ep: pct application non-entry in european phase